


You're Okay

by orphan_account



Series: Prompts and One Shots [4]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 15:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3614454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So i’ve seen a couple of versions on how people would’ve liked Daryl to have handled the ‘Rick freaking out’ situation in the latest episode, so I thought i’d write my own version. Hope you like it :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're Okay

He couldn’t breath.

 

His chest constricted painfully as he forced himself to speak, “You, you just sit and plan and hesitate”

 

He had to get them to see. Had to get her to see. If these people didn’t start training, fighting, hardening themselves they were going to die. Just like everyone else he’d cared about. These people didn’t get it. They had their wall, they didn’t know what was out there, they didn’t know the horrors of watching a person you loved get tore apart by a walker. They didn’t know what it felt like to hear their screams as they were eaten alive whilst you stood there, unable to do anything. Or worse, what happened when you came face to face with the people who had survived. Who hadn’t turned. People didn’t survive these days because they’d gotten lucky. People survived because they’d become worse than the things that hunted them. He, he had to make her see. How was he supposed to protect everyone when these people wouldn’t even have someone watch the outside of the wall? How could he keep Carl, Judith or Daryl safe, his family safe if the people in charge weren’t even willing to stand up for a victim of domestic abuse? How could they defend themselves against the beasts this world had created when they couldn’t even face fighting against one man who enjoyed beating his wife and child? He needed to make them see.

 

“Your way of doing things is done. Things don’t get better because you want them to. Your way is gonna destroy this place. It’s gonna get people killed. It’s already gotten people killed,” he screamed, trying to get to his feet but failing, pointing the gun at Deanna. He didn’t want to hurt anyone but he had to make them see and if violence was the way then so be it. He couldn’t have another Noah on his hands.

 

“Rick?”

 

That voice. He knew that voice. Where did he know that voice? Suddenly strong arms were gripping him from behind, one around his waist whilst the other reached down to grab his wrist, forcing him to point the gun towards the ground. Rick gasped as he struggled for breath, the arms around him both comforting and suffocating as he continued to struggle to breathe. His heart feeling like it was going to explode in his chest.

 

“Let me go!” he wailed, fighting against the arms, his spare hand reaching up to claw at the flesh holding him still, yet despite the thick red welts that were beginning to form the owner refused to let up, instead he felt a soft pressure that could easily have been someone’s head leaning against his neck, preventing him from swinging his head back.

 

“I aint lettin you go until you calm down alrigh?” the voice whispered in his ear, the arms around him tightening as Rick changed his tactics, giving up on trying to claw his way free and instead opting to try and pull himself forward out of the embrace. He couldn’t breathe; his vision swam as he struggled to get oxygen into his body. He could feel something wet dripping down his cheeks but whether it was blood or tears he couldn’t tell.

 

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re alrigh, I got ya” the voice continued to whisper comfortingly as the thumb of the hand holding onto his waist began to move up and down, rubbing soothing circles into the tender flesh there.

 

“I-I, I can’t breathe” he heard himself mumble, his voice barely audible as he winced at the pain in his lungs at the effort it had taken to try and speak.

 

“It’s okay, jus let go of the gun an I’ll help ya out” the voice spoke, pointedly putting pressure on the wrist holding the gun to show Rick what it wanted.

 

Not knowing what else to do he slowing released his grip letting the gun fall to the ground. As soon as the gun made contact with the floor he felt the arm holding his wrist move to wrap around his torso, the figure behind him pulling him back so that he was off his knees and instead sat between the legs of whoever it was helping him, strong arms moving him quickly so that he found himself suddenly cradled against the chest of his savior, his face pressed against the person’s neck as they began to soothingly stroke up and down his back, muttering words of encouragement. Nestled against the warm stranger, his breathing finally evening out with the help of the strong hand stroking his back and the other cradling his head against the person’s neck, he breathed in the scent of wood, oil and smoke.

 

“D-Daryl?” he croaked after finally catching his breath, his heart rate slowing down as his natural instincts recognized safety.

 

“Yeah it’s me” the voice spoke, the figure holding him tight against its chest leaning back so that he could see the hunter’s face, feeling his heart tightening at how scared the other man looked as he looked down at him.

 

“T-thought, y-you were on a h-hunt” he croaked, his body beginning to shake despite the warmth of Daryl’s body. He felt the arms around him tighten in response, his head pulled in against Daryl’s throat as the other man tried to prevent the spasms that had begun to take over his body.

 

“Came back early. Good thin’ to huh?”

 

“They, they wouldn’t see. T-they don’t get it,” he mumbled, trying to get Daryl to see if no one else would. He needed to make them see, “I-I need to keep t-them safe”.

 

“Shh, it’s alrigh’. We’re gonna keep em safe. You an me. We’re gonna get you feelin better and then you an me are gonna work out a plan to keep ever’one safe yeah?” Daryl spoke softly, pulling away to look him in the eyes so that he knew he meant it.

 

Rick let out a labored breath as he felt the weight he’d been carrying around since the loss of the prison begin to lift. If Daryl said that he’d help keep everyone safe then he meant it and he was so much better at it than Rick was. Daryl knew how to keep people safe, he’d saved his daughter when he’d been too weak, even saved his life countless of times. Yes. If Daryl was gonna help then they’d be okay.

 

“Ya gotta get better first though alrigh’? I wan’ ya bein’ your annoying righteous self before we think of anyone else, ya got that?” Daryl ordered, making sure he nodded his head in agreement before smiling, leaning down to press his lips gently against Rick’s forehead as he rubbed the back of Rick’s neck soothingly. Rick felt his breathing beginning to even out, his heart rate slowing down and the general feeling of panic beginning to subside with the knowledge that Daryl was going to be here, making sure that everyone was okay. On his own, there was no way this group would make it, but with Daryl besides him maybe he had a chance at keeping them all safe.


End file.
